The present invention relates to a system for storing a variety and number of different size and shape articles, utilizing both open shelves and closed drawers, the drawers being lockable to provide secure storage for certain more valuable and usually smaller articles.
The need and desire to store in one general area different types, sizes and shapes of articles whether inventory, spare parts, or the like in industrial, merchandising, or domestic environments has led to the use of slidable drawers mounted in shelving units. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,937 issued to Nash on Aug. 13, 1974 shows the use of drawers in close proximity to shelves both mounted in an adjustable pole support system. Nash, however, does not teach nor suggest the locking of such drawers for security purposes. The diversity of articles currently being stored in this manner has created a problem of security with regard to storing higher value articles in the same general area with other articles of lesser value. This is especially true in areas such as the electronics industry in which many small parts and articles to be stored may have higher value than the larger items with which they are stored. The ability to lock such drawers is therefore highly desirable. Secondly, one of the attributes of using drawers mounted in shelving that must not be overlooked in providing this locking ability is the flexibility of storage design accorded by the movable nature of shelves and the relative ease of adding drawers to or taking drawers away from a shelving unit. Therefore, it has become desirable to provide a locking mechanism for security of higher value, usually smaller items storable in drawers and to make that locking mechanism adjustable so as to mesh with the desired design flexiblity of a combined shelving and drawer storage system, that is to say that as drawers are taken from such a storage system, the locking mechanism can be adapted to lock the remaining drawers.
Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide a storage system that utilizes both shelving and drawers wherein the drawers may be locked.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a locking mechanism that will act to lock a number of drawers in concert or to close and lock any drawer individually after the unit has been locked.
Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable locking mechanism which affords some measure of flexibility in the storing user's design of the position and number of shelves and lockable drawers.